Safety-clip for pens and pencils.



W. 0. HUNTER. SAFETY CLIP FOR PENS AND PENGILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1909. 960,092. Patented May 31, 1910.

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Wiimeoeeo simian] ULAMJS PATENT @FFTQE.

WILLIAM OLIN HUNTER, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

SAFETY-CLIP FOR PENS AND PENCILS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM OLIN HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Clips for Pens and Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety clips for the purpose of securing fountain pens, penoils, or the like to garments, such as vest or coat pockets, belts, or the like, and has particular reference to a device of this character which is cheap and simple of construction, easy of manipulation, not liable to become out of order, and which is safer than similar devices now in use generally.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an illustration of one form of the device attached to a lead pencil; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same device detached; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same shown as holding a fountain pen in a vest pocket; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a slightly modified form; Fig. 1* is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is a side view of a further modification; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a still further modified form of the device applied to a polygonal pencil; Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail perspective and Fig. 9 is an elevation of further modified forms of spring rings.

Throughout the following description and on the several figures of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

This device comprises a body portion 10, made preferably of spring sheet metal, and adapted to be detachably connected to a encil, pen, or the like, the article to be held y the clip being hereinafter for convenience referred to as a stem. At one end of the body 10 is formed a jaw 11, which together with the stem 12 constitute a clamp whereby the device is secured to a garment in the usual manner. As indicated 111 the first figures the jaw 11 is constructed by stamping the device from sheet metal, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the jaw being made up of two biting polnts or teeth 11 and bent downwardly at an angle to the main body 10. When the garment is engaged by the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 29, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

Serial No. 499,193.

clamp there will be three points of contact, two between the teeth 11 and the stem and the third between the shank of the stem and the extreme edge of the garment, as indicated at 13. The extreme end of the body portion 10 may be bent upon itself as shown. That portion of the body 10 at the upper end or the end opposite the jaw constitutes a rigid straight head 10 which lies snugly against the stem throughout its length and parallel with the axis of the stem.

In a device of this character it is essential that the means for attaching the clip to the stem may be such as to accommodate stems of different diameters or forms without materially altering the character of the attaching device. It is furthermore necessary that the attaching means shall be such as to grip the stem so that the clip will not be liable to be moved out of place on being applied to or removed from the pocket, and yet one which will readily permit the removal and replacement of the clip when desired. As an effective means for accomplishing these objects I provide one or more attaching rings 14 and connect them loosely and pivotally to the said head of the body. The rings are preferably of spring material and open so that they may automatically adjust themselves to difierent diameters of stems and yet maintain a proper grip therewith. As a convenient means for connecting the rings to the body, portions of the body 10 may be struck up as indicated at 15 to form loops and transverse eyes. The rings being loosely pivoted in said eyes may assume the position indicated in dotted lines in the exaggerated form in Fig. 1, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the grip when the pen or pencil is placed in or removed from the pocket, the head being permitted to slide longitudinally of the stem a short distance and yet being held at all times snugly against the stem.

The form of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 4 is substantially like that of the first three figures, except that the teeth 11" are bent to contact with each other, forming essentially a single biting point to cooperate with the stem, forming the clamp. In Fig. 5 is illustrated a similar form, with the exception of a ball shaped jaw 11 In this and the other forms of the jaw there are provided rounded or inclined portions of the jaw, 11 whereby the manipulation of the device is facilitated.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 comprises a body portion 10*, made of sheet metal, and having a jaw 11 similar to that of Fig. 1. The head 10 however, is provided with. ears 16 extending longitudinally of the body and bent downwardly therefrom at an angle to form members to straddle the ridge of a polygonal pencil and thereby prevent rotation thereof with respect to the pencil. The ears 16 stiffen the head 10' and are provided with transverse pairs of holes 16 in alinement with each other, through which the rings 14: extend and have loose pivotal engagement, as in the other constructions and for the same purposes.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the spring rings 14; and 1 1 are provided with shoulders 17 which embrace the lateral edges of the body 10 to prevent lateral displacement of said body, but without interfering in any manner with the pivotal movement thereof above described to efiect proper gripping action on the stem. The ring 14 instead of being split, is solid and provided with a series of loops 14 to provide sufficient elasticity to adapt it for use on stems of different diameters. This form of the spring. attaching means may be preferred in some instances since the open end of the rings 14 and 1 1 may catch on the users clothing.

From what has preceded it will be understood that the invention may be varied in many minor details without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In combination with a stem, a clip comprising a straight rigid head adapted to conform snugly to said stem, said head being provided with transverse eyes, a flexible body formed integral with and extending downwardly from said head, a jaw connected to said flexible body and adapted to cooperate with said stem to form a clamp, and a pair of spring rings loosely pivoted in the said head eyes and adapted to embrace the stem to hold the head snugly against the stem and adapted to permit a slight longitudinal movement thereof on the stem, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a stem, a flexible body having at one end a jaw cooperating with the stem to form a clamp and having at the other end a straight rigid head, and a pair of spring rings loosely pivoted to said head and adapted to surround the stem to secure said head against the stem, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM OLIN HUNTER.

WVitnesses:

A. B. Cowman, H. E. SMALL. 

